84 



Other ; and so with the paralysis of the organs of deglutition, 

 which in the spinal mode of attack does not usually appear 

 until just before death, for a majority of these cases prove 

 fatal. The temperature varies some four or five degrees 

 from the normal, according to the physical condition of the 

 patient and the protraction of the malady ; but in certain 

 fulinina7it cases, which, as the term implies, occur so instan- 

 taneously that there is no apparent interval between the 

 time of one portion of the nervous system being attacked 

 and the other, the temperature from the severity of the shock 

 may even fall below the normal. Such cases of sudden 

 death are usually mistaken for "blind staggers." 



The pulse is quickened at first, but grows slow and feeble 

 as the disease approaches a fatal termination. The state of 

 the bowels depends in a great measure upon the degree of 

 the spinal paralysis. They are usually costive at first, but 

 often become extremely loose. The " spotted " appearance 

 of the skin, which is one of the characteristic symptoms in 

 the human subject, is believed to be of rare occurrence in 

 the equine race, though I have observed it on two occasions 

 in a marked degree. There appeared upon the sides of the 

 body, near the fore legs, a series of round, hard patches, 

 somewhat elevated, about the size of a penny, and some 

 twenty in number on each horse, which remained for a 

 number of hours. 



Treatment. — "In a disease so rapid in its course and 

 fatal in its character," observes Professor Large, " it is 

 extremely difficult to say anything satisfactory of the course 

 of treatment to be adopted. There are certain indications 

 to be fulfilled ; the question is, how is it best to carry them 

 out.? We must take into consideration the nature of the 

 disease, the probable progress it has made, and the mischief 

 done before the case is seen ; it is not often that the veteri- 

 narian is called in at the onset, but generally when he exam- 

 ines his cases he will find from the paralysis of some parts, 

 as the throat or posterior extremities, that the inflammation 



